


Guardian of My Heart

by firesign10



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Danger, M/M, President's kid!Jared, Romance, Secret Service!Jensen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 20:13:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3868270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firesign10/pseuds/firesign10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>President Gerald Padalecki's son Jared has been lusting after his gorgeous Secret Service agent forever. Jensen Ackles, the agent in question, is stoic and strictly professional. It takes Jared's life being in danger for Jensen to admit to his own, less-than-professional feelings...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://spn-meanttobe.livejournal.com/profile)[spn_meanttobe](http://spn-meanttobe.livejournal.com/). Original prompt: 48. Secretly Serviced
> 
> _He gives "secret service" a whole new meaning…._
> 
>   _How is the president's daughter supposed to have any fun while living in a gilded cage? Kelly would gladly trade the view from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and all its perks for what she really wants: an earth-shattering orgasm._
> 
> _But one perk Kelly would never give up is Michael Weston. She's sure the sexy secret service agent can give her what she desires—though falling for Kelly's seduction could cost him everything…._

 Jared could barely remember a time when he hadn't lived in the White House, watched over by his own Secret Service agent. His family had moved into the White House when he was nine, after his father won the election. As the son of the president, he was assigned a security guard twenty-four/seven, and as of a year ago, that guard was Jensen Ackles.

Jensen was always clad in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie--Jared liked to make "Men in Black" cracks around him. His hair was slicked down for a professional look, but little spiky pieces kept trying to stick up, which Jared thought was adorable. When Jensen took his black Ray-bans off, his eyes shone a vibrant green, set off by lashes were as thick and long as any girl's. The strong planes of his face were softened by the lushness of his mouth, a mouth that Jared spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about kissing. Or how it would look with Jared's dick in it.

Outside of being the president's son, Jared considered himself a pretty typical seventeen-year-old guy. He was perpetually horny, played on the basketball and soccer teams at his private school, got pretty good grades with a minimal amount of studying, and spent way too much time texting and facetiming his friends. He talked back to his parents, but knew when to zip it. And he always obeyed his security detail.

Unlike some of his friends, he also could handle a formal place setting without getting confused about the numerous pieces of silverware, wend his way easily through the myriad hallways and rooms of the White House, and sit through state dinners and concerts with apparent attentiveness and excellent manners, no matter how boring the event really was. He was as comfortable in formalwear as sweatpants, and could wear a tux like an Armani model, or at least so he thought when he looked in the mirror. 

Jared attended the prestigious Sidwell Friends School, which was _the_ private school for diplomats' kids in the Washington, D.C. area. The school counted children from ambassadors, senators, and the very wealthy among its students. The school accommodated the need for high security protocols and the handling of numerous indivudual bodyguards. Nothing made a more appealing target than the children of dignitaries and and the rich.

This was the final year of President Gerald Padalecki's second term, so Jared had had most of his life to get used to the security protocols imposed by the Secret Service. Jensen had just become his security guard last year; the guard before then, J.D. Morgan, had moved out of active guard work and was now ensconced as a director of the family's security. Jared still saw him around the White House, and J.D. would always stop to chat with him about how school was going, and ask if he was dating yet.

Jared didn't quite know how to answer the latter question. He was pretty sure at this point that he was gay, and he hadn't really shared that information with anyone except his best friends Chad Murray and Sandy McCoy. He didn't spend any time mooning over the cheerleaders or the many pretty girls at school. Instead, he found himself attracted to various boys on campus, or at least, he had been. Until Jensen arrived.

Now Jared only had eyes for Jensen. Broad shoulders, muscular arms, slim waist and hips, and an ass that wouldn't quit, even clothed in the off-the-rack black suit. And bow legs, which Jared thought were the sexiest things he'd ever seen. Even the ever-present coil of wire that connected Jensen's ear piece to the monitoring security team looked hot on him. 

Jared spent quite a bit of time that year trying to catch Jensen's eye. He became a meticulous dresser, making sure his clothes fit perfectly and flattered his lean body. He exercised in an effort to build up some muscle bulk and definition. He lounged gracefully, he gave Jensen steamy sidelong looks, cracked witty little jokes. In the summer, he spent hours lazing by the pool in a pair of short trunks, since he knew his dad would draw the line at a Speedo. Frankly, Jared himself wasn't sure he had the chutzpah to wear a Speedo, especially the way his dick reacted to Jensen all the time. He bronzed himself in the sun, casually running a hand over his bare chest or across his lap. Jensen would be in a T-shirt and board shorts, sitting under the umbrella of one of the patio tables nearby, his face pinking in the sun and bringing out a fresh crop of the captivating freckles that were strewn across his face.

None of Jared's machinations made any change in Jensen's demeanor; he remained professional, stoic, unsmiling, and unmoved. He constantly kept Jared in his sight, but never initiated a conversation, never laughed at one of Jared's jokes. He shadowed Jared throughout all of his activities, but never congratulated him on a point scored or asked after school or friends. He was strictly professonal in every way.

If he wasn't so damn strong, so gorgeous, Jared would have been tempted to give up.

*** 

The fabled D.C. cherry blossoms were out, beautiful sprays of white and pale pink contrasting against baby blue skies. May meant the start of the early tourist season in the District of Columbia, and at high schools across the country, it meant the advent of prom.

Despite its high profile clientele, the students at Sidwell Friends got just as excited about prom as their more mundane counterparts. Girls spent weeks shopping and browsing online for gowns, comparing colors, hemlines, and cleavage. Boys debated over and over who they would ask, daring each other to ask the hottest and most popular girls. The Washington D.C. Ritz-Carlton was hosting the prom, where a fancy sit-down dinner and a dance with a top-rated local band would hopefully fulfill the semi-formal fantasies of all the students, giving them memories to last for years.

Jared was actually not terribly excited about the prom. He'd been flattered to receive a couple of invitations. The first was from Genevieve Cortese, a dark-haired girl that he'd been friends with for a few months. He'd been steadfastly ignoring her fairly evident crush on him, constantly keeping things on a platonic plane, and he felt that going to prom with her had too many loaded implications. Then Matt Cohen asked him, and Matt was definitely a really great guy; very handsome, nicely built, and super funny. But there too, Jared didn't want to lead him on, and he knew nothing romantic in nature would be happening with Matt. He politely declined both invitations. He did make sure that Jensen knew about the invitations; Jared talked about how pretty Gen was, and what a good-looking guy Matt was. How they could have a great time, dancing and having fun. He kept peeking at Jensen, who stood there being his usual professional self, stolidly ignoring Jared's posturing and prattling.

Except...Jared saw that Jensen's jaw muscle was twitching. Yes, definitely, his jaw was clenching and unclenching. Jared didn't comment or react at this discovery, but inside he felt elated. Finally, a reaction! And a reaction that could well mean that Jensen was upset about these flirtations, that he was...jealous! Happiness warmed Jared at the thought.

Jared excitedly made prom plans with Chad and Sandy, then had a huge dressing room session with the many tuxes his mother brought to the White House for Jared to choose from. That was lots of fun, like a montage from "Pretty Woman", one of Jared's favorite movies. He paraded in and out wearing lots of fabulous tuxedos, once again sneaking little peeks to catch Jensen's reaction. When Jared came out in the one from Jean Yves, he noted that Jensen's nostrils flared just the tiniest bit.

"This one," Jared stated, handing it to his exasperated mother after he changed back into his jeans and T-shirt. "This is the one." He, Chad, and Sandy were going to attend the prom together, as his best friends had also decided against attending with a date. They were going in a White House limo with their assorted security chaperoning: Jensen for Jared's protection; Chad's bodyguard, Christian Kane who was ex-MMA; and Sandy's guard, Alona Tal, a former Mossad agent. Chad was the son of a multi-millionaire manufacturer, and so was considered a desirable target for hostage or business kidnapping. Sandy was an senator's daughter from California. Jared thought she was legitimately targetable because she was so pretty and bubbly, but he felt that if any hostage takers knew Chad like he did, they wouldn't consider him desirable at all. Chad was more like a sleazy horn-dog with questionable hygiene.

The limo disgorged them all onto the burgundy carpet leading to the gold-canopied entrance of the hotel, where both the dinner and the dance were being held. The teenagers entered the lobby, a huge space decorated in cream and gold, with dark, polished floors studded with burgundy rugs under sparkling chandeliers. They immediately found other friends milling around, all of them chattering excitedly and complimenting each other on their beautiful gowns and dashing tuxes. The entire mass of teens began to drift to the dining room, closely followed by the bodyguards. Jensen and Christian were joined by several other bodyguards and security details. The guards were all seated at tables along the back of the room, able to be out of the way and yet still have their subjects in clear view.

The opulent dining room was decorated with black, turquoise, and purple balloons, table linens, and streamers. Silver and turquoise confetti and glitter were strewn around the table centerpieces of purple candles atop mirrors. Jared, Chad, and Sandy found their table, where they were seated with seven more of their friends. Laughter and camera flashes filled the air as the wait staff began to bring out appetizers and beverages, while the party-goers chatted and took selfies with each other. Jared immediately consumed his mini crab quiches and lobster claw with drawn butter; he was a growing boy, after all, and was always hungry. Chad was busy chatting up Katie Cassidy on his other side, a sarcastic blonde girl that Jared privately thought would be a perfect match for Chad, but who didn't give him the time of day. In the meantime, Jared snagged Chad's lobster claw and devoured it in two bites, relishing the sweet seafood treat as he wiped the butter off his chin.

His hunger momentarily at bay, Jared scanned the room, nodding and waving to various friends, but also checking out where Jensen was. There, at a line of tables along the back with simple black tablecloths on them, were the bodyguards. Assorted glasses and bottles were strewn across the tables, but Jared knew they all held only water or soda. No security man ever drank on duty. Jensen's sunglasses were off, Jared could see them peeking out of Jensen's breast pocket; those piercing green eyes were trained right on Jared. He gave a small wave, and was rewarded with a twitch of Jensen's mouth that could almost be a smile.

The meal was delicious, although Jared couldn't say later what he ate. He and his friends were giddy with the excitement of the evening. They were so close to adulthood, ready to move out of the cloistered atmosphere of their homes and school, poised to enter the new vistas of colleges and intercontinental moves. Jared had been dragging his feet about choosing which school he wanted to attend, but tonight he put that concern aside to simply enjoy this special night. He knew that he looked awesome, his friends looked gorgeous, and in a few minutes they would dance the night away in a beautifully decorated ballroom.

This was a moment to savor. 

Jensen shifted his weight on the dining chair, scanning the banquet room for the umpteenth time. Jared was at a table for ten with his friends, laughing and talking, and--if he knew his boy, and he did--eating up a storm. Jensen didn't know how Jared could eat so much and yet be so slim. Not that Jensen was looking.

Oh hell yes, he was looking. He couldn't help it. Jared was gorgeous. Tall--almost as tall as Jensen, who was six one--so Jared would end up taller still. Just starting to build some muscle and fill out that slim frame, bulk up those wide shoulders and fill out that chest under the goofy/nerdy T-shirts Jared preferred to wear. Whip-smart, funny as hell; Jensen was constantly covering his snickers at Jared's comments, he didn't want to let on that he was listening, let alone found the young man funny. Eyes with an exotic tilt and a bewitching meld of colors, sculpted cheekbones, a wide flexible mouth with a delicious pink tint, and some moles so artfully placed one could almost think the boy did them himself.

Yeah, Jensen was hooked. Just in case he didn't already take his job guarding the son of President Padalecki seriously enough, now he was emotionally invested as well.

He shook his head at himself. He should know better.

Jensen sipped his seltzer water and scanned the room again. In a few minutes, the whole group of students and security would be escorted into the Grand Ballroom, where some local wanna-be One Direction would whine and croon the night away. _Why can't they like Metallica, or Pearl Jam, or maybe some Stevie Ray?_ Jensen mused. He wondered if he should take a leak before the move, or wait until afterward and hand off to Christian for a moment. Or maybe he should check with Jared--if he had to go, two birds. Jensen would make him take a stall though, for protection and also because he didn't need to strain an eyeball trying to avoid Jared's junk on display at a urinal. 

The thought of that eyeful made him shiver. Fuck, he had it bad.

"Security, we are ready to relocate the guests to the ballroom. This way, please." The maitre d' approached the security contingent, gesturing to the open double doors that led out of the dining room. "We will go partway down the hall to the ballroom doors. The band has already entered and is set up, and there will be snacks, beverages, and later on, a dessert bar." He flapped his hands to indicate they should start moving.

Jensen saw all the bodyguards checking on the location of their charges, and he did the same. His advantage was that Jared was half a head above the rest of the kids. As they streamed out of the dining room, Jensen fell in behind Jared, tapping him on the shoulder. "Stay near me as we enter, the room was checked earlier, but I want to check it again, okay? Need to visit the men's room at all? We can do it during the transition here."

Jared shook his head, looking out of the corner of his eye at Jensen. "Nah, I'm good right now. So, how do you think this tux looks, you think I picked the right one?" One corner of his mouth curled up in a ridiculously hot way, the dimple on that side carving a whole new perspective to his face. Jensen wanted to lick his way up that line and then plunder that curling mouth...

He caught himself staring, broke the gaze, and took two deep breaths. When he looked back at Jared, his charge was staring at him and ignoring the others still moving around them. "Jesus, Jensen, what...are you okay? Did I...do something wrong?"

_Wrong? Oh, no, you just look fucking delectable._

"No, of course not, you're fine. I'm fine. The tux is fine. Let's just see about moving into the ballroom, and then you crazy kids can have your fun and us dinosaurs can watch." He smiled, hopefully in a reassuring way and not in some lust-crazed grimace.

"Jensen, you're barely ten years older than me. I'll be eighteen in two months, and you're not even twenty-nine yet, so shut up." Those eyes, blue and green and brown, rimmed with dark lashes and absolutely beautiful, were fixed on his. He could drown in those eyes. He wanted to see them widen in arousal, darken with passion, close in ecstasy.

_Stop it, you asshole. Focus!_

"Enough, you young whippersnapper. Go on, do the party thing with your friends." He ruffled Jared's hair, hoping to accentuate the "elder" vibe he was trying to project.

Jared just looked annoyed, running his hands over his head to smooth his hair back out. "Stop it, man, don't mess with perfection!"

"Be easier if you cut it sometimes," snarked Jensen. In actuality, he loved that mop of dark brown hair, thick and soft, shot with chestnut highlights. He wondered how it would feel wrapped around his hands, how Jared would like it being tugged as he--

He shook his head sharply to clear the image out of his mind. It had never been this bad before; maybe it was the glamor of the formal dress and the fancy venue. He saw Jared staring at him rather quizzically and deflected with a smile.

"Go on, I'm fine. It's all the rampant teen-age hormones in the air. Makes me woozy."

Jared grinned and gave him a little salute as he went into the ballroom with the last of his fellow classmates. Jensen sighed.

_Get it the fuck together, dude. Or else get off this detail._

Jared joined his friends in the middle of the dance floor. The band was playing, the lights were lowered, and colored lights and spinning mirror balls gave a fantastical feel to the already-beautiful room. He felt completely light-hearted, dancing with Chad and Sandy and all his friends, everyone there just to have fun before they graduated and scattered to their new schools and destinations. He looked at Chad, bouncing along to the music, his spiky blond hair glittering in the lights--

"Dude! Did you put glitter in your hair?" Jared exclaimed.

"Yeah! Looks hot, right? I'm rocking this tux too, I ought score easy tonight, right?" He winked one blue eye at Jared, who rolled his eyes in response. Chad's plans to score and his actual scoring? Big difference between them. Like the Grand Canyon.

"C'mon, you guys! Dance with me!" said Sandy, pulling their hands. Her dark brown hair was piled atop her head with curls cascading down the back, and her strapless royal blue gown shimmered from the lights playing over the iridescent beading on it. Jared smiled and hugged her. She was the first one he'd confided in that he might be gay, and as they struggled with friends and identities and romance through high school, she'd continued as his confidant. She was headed to New York for fashion school, and they were going to have to make do with Skype and texts. He knew it wouldn't be the same, but hoped they would adjust.

"Hey, guys, come here! Over here!" Chad was wending his way through the dancing crowd toward the stage, and Jared and Sandy followed. As they got to the stage, Chad stopped and looked around the room. "Excellent, Christian's looking the other way." He slipped between the heavy drapes into the backstage area, pulling Jared after him. "C'mon, I got a bottle of Fireball! Let's toast!"

Sandy hung back, looking back at the security guards nervously. "I don't know, Chad. Alona doesn't like it when I'm out of sight."

Chad scoffed, "C'mon, wuss! This whole place has been vetted already! What's gonna happen backstage?"

She shook her head, curls bouncing on her shoulders. "I don't want to drink anyway. I want to dance! Hurry up and get back out here, okay?" She turned away with a wave, heading back onto the dance floor.

Jared felt unsure; being out of sight of his bodyguard went against the protocol that had been engrained in him for years. On the other hand, Chad had a point--the entire hotel staff had been vetted for this event. What was the harm in a few minutes backstage? Besides, even Chad was leaving after graduation--he was going to Europe to spend some time at an international business school while interning in one of his father's plants. What was Jared going to do without his best bud and partner in crime? A smile played over his mouth as pranks they'd pulled through the years flashed through his mind.

"There ya go! Have a drink, Jared, this rocks!" Chad handed him the bottle and Jared took a gulp, coughing as the cinnamon hit him.

"Wow, that's strong! It's good though," he spluttered, and took another hit as Chad nodded in agreement.

They amused themselves by criticizing the band, and peeking through the curtain to comment on their classmates as they passed the bottle back and forth. Chad was rhapsodizing over Katie's blonde hair and curvy figure when a heavy hand landed on Jared's shoulder, making him yelp. Expecting to see Jensen's annoyed face, he turned around already starting his excuse. "It was Chad! And he wanted--" His words died as he saw it wasn't Jensen at all.

It was someone he'd never seen before.  



	2. Chapter 2

Alarm ran through him like electricity, and he grabbed Chad while the other boy was attempting to compose haiku about Katie's breasts. "What?" asked Chad crossly, his face changing to shock as he also turned and saw the stranger. "Who the hell are you?" Chad squawked. The stranger grabbed Jared's arm, twisting it up behind him, and snagged Chad by the collar with his other hand, pinning Chad's head against the wall. 

"Come along now, and be quiet!" the man said menacingly. "I don't want to hurt you, but I won't hesitate to do so. One of you makes any noise, and the other one will pay for it, understand?" He looked at them both, the threat clear in his face.

The boys were pushed and dragged to the back corner of the backstage area. Only a couple of other people were around at this point, and they were totally focused on the band, not even turning to look at them. They stopped by the exit, where another man was waiting. Jared knew this man--it was Benito Martinez, bodyguard to Adrienne Palicki. Adrienne was a good friend of Jared's, back from the day they had first met and joked about their similar last names. Jared was well-accustomed to seeing Benito at school events and when he went over to Adrienne's house to study. He couldn't imagine what Benito was up to, but this sure didn't look good.

The shock of seeing Benito in apparent cahoots with the threatening stranger kept Jared unaccustomedly silent. The strange man, a ginger with a foxy face and narrow eyes, pushed Jared at Benito before shaking Chad like a rat. Chad started to speak in a belligerent tone, but the fox-faced man backhanded him casually, leaving a line of blood at the corner of Chad's mouth and making his head smack into the door-jamb.

"Shut up, asshole, and maybe you'll survive this!" Fox-face hissed.

"Now, Mark, do not damage the goods," admonished Benito, patting his hand on Chad's head. "We need them unharmed."

"Him, sure. Not the smart-mouthed one!" Mark nodded at Jared, then leered at Chad, who shrank away and reached behind him for Jared.

"Out here! Now!" Benito commanded, and they were whisked out of the exit into a service hallway. "Come along!" he ordered, and they were hustled down the hallway into a freight elevator. Benito commanded Chad and Jared to turn around and look at the floor before they punched in the floor number and the elevator began to rise. They were manhandled out of the elevator, down a regular guest hallway, and ended at a room with no number on the cream-colored door. Benito manipulated a number pad on the door, and Mark pushed them inside as it clicked open.

The door locked behind them as Mark shoved them down onto a large bed. Jared and Chad fell together in a tangle of arms and legs, the fluffy tan comforter puffing around them. Benito stood over them, arms crossed in front of him, a sour expression on his face.

"Why did you take that one?" he asked Mark, gesturing to Chad. "We don't need him. He's a complication and a liability. We only wanted the president's boy."

Jared felt Chad clutch his arm, his fingers digging hard. They'd watched enough action movies to understand what being a liability meant.

"He was there with Padalecki! It was easier to take them both than try to separate them," Mark retorted. "We can just dispose of him." He winked evilly at Chad, who shrank even closer to Jared.

Benito shook his head. "I don't want more complications than can be helped. Padalecki is our power card. Take this one out and release him. He knows nothing. Dead, he will provoke more problems than alive." He pulled Chad upright and glared into his eyes. "The only thing you know is my face. Do you know what will happen to your friend if you say anything about tonight?" He jerked a thumb toward Jared. "He loses something important. Like a hand. Or a nut. Got it?" Chad nodded furiously, his eyes terrified. Jared felt pretty terrified too. He was very attached to all of his parts.

Benito shoved Chad at Mark and said, "Dump him in Arlington. That'll slow the hounds. And give me his phone." Mark ran his hands roughly over Chad and pulled his phone out. He tossed it to Benito, who dropped it on the floor and stomped on it. After a couple more stomps, he put it in the bathroom door and slammed the door on it. Mark picked up the pile of pieces, and Benito said, "Throw them in a dumpster between here and there." He turned away from as Mark began to manhandle Chad to the door.

Chad looked back at Jared, the two of them exchanging frantic looks. Without even looking, Benito threw an elbow into Jared's midsection, leaving him gasping for breath with tears in his eyes. When he was able to look up again, Chad and Mark were gone.

Benito looked down at Jared. Jared could only describe the look in his eyes as cold and empty, like the eye of a shark. Jared was nothing but an object to him, a pawn of some kind. Benito had a purpose, and somehow Jared played into it, and for that, he was useful. He just had no idea what was going on.

He'd never been so scared in his life.

_Jensen!_

Jensen scanned the ballroom, noting that Jared was near the stage. As usual, he was with Chad and Sandy. He turned to catch Christian's eye, and they nodded at each other. Chad was a prankster with more money than sense, and was prone to leading the bodyguards on a merry dance. Jensen and Christian spent a lot of time sharing guard duty and backing each other up, as the boys were so close. The two guards had become good friends as a result, even spending off-duty time together at a bar Christian's friend Steve Carlson ran. Steve not only owned the bar, he played guitar there sometimes with Christian. They were working on getting Jensen to play and sing with them as well, but so far, Jensen had resisted, content to have some beers and a little whiskey while his friends made music onstage.

Jensen scanned the dance floor again. Jared was still by the stage, but closer to the curtains on the side. Jensen cocked his head. _What is he doing? He doesn't have any business over there. Stay where I can see you, boy._

A small kerfluffle broke out near him. Benito Martinez, bodyguard for Adrienne Palicki, was having words with a boy, while Adrienne was almost in tears as she spoke with Benito. Jensen got up and joined the group, laying a hand on Benito as he said softly, "Dude, be cool. Let's not make a scene. What's up?"

Benito snarled, "He doesn't know to keep his hands to himself. And she didn't like it."

Adrienne shook her head. "It's okay. He wasn't hurting me, and he didn't mean anything. It's just a misunderstanding." Jensen recognized the boy now as Osric Chau, a nice kid who was also friends with Jared; they were on the math team together. He knew Osric was not someone to force his attentions on a girl. 

"Okay, let's just all simmer down. Benito, Adrienne says she's okay. Mr. Chau, I suggest you go over to your friends for now. Adrienne, do you need to go to the ladies' room? Let's all take a breath." She nodded and headed for the powder room, a couple of girlfriends at her side and a female security agent tailing them.

Now alone with Benito, Jensen turned back to the man. "What the hell, man? We don't need a scene like that." He noted the tension in Benito's body, the eyes shooting around the room. "You okay? You need a minute? A break?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll just go take a break for a minute, okay? Can you keep an eye on Adrienne for me, just a few seconds?" Benito rubbed his forehead and breathed deeply.

"Yeah, sure, sure, I'll have her dance with Jared. Go on." He watched Benito exit the room, his steps quick. _Dude needs a vacation._ Jensen snorted. _Who am I kidding, so do I._

He sighed as he brought his attention back to the ballroom, looking for Jared's head bobbing above the other dancers.

It wasn't there.

_What the fuck!_

Jensen moved quickly to Christian's side. "Hey, where's Jared? Is he with Chad? Are they in the men's room?"

Christian stood up, alarm on his face. "No, they haven't been to the men's room all night. They were over by the stage, and then I was watching what was going down with Benito, in case you needed back-up." He looked around urgently, running his fingers agitatedly through his shoulder-length brown hair and pulling it out of its neat pony-tail. "Shit!"

Jensen tried to quell his own rising alarm--it wasn't going to help. He need to move, and move fast. "Come on!" he growled at Christian, heading out onto the dance floor, trying to refrain from shoving people out of his way, but moving purposefully toward the stage. Christian was right on his heels.

Sandy was suddenly in front of him, looking concerned. "Mr. Ackles! Is everything okay?" Kids who grew up with security and bodyguards knew the signs of trouble, like fast-moving guards. 

"Sandy, have you seen Jared? And Chad?" He resisted the urge to grab her arms and shake her; she wasn't the problem.

She glanced to the side and then back at him. He recognized the tell and grabbed her arms after all. "Sandy! Where are they? This is no time for games! I don't care what prank they're up to, I need to find them!"

Her eyes widened and her mouth trembled. "They were just horsing around, and Chad had a bottle of liquor. They went backstage to have a couple of drinks, that's all! They're right behind those drapes!" She pointed at the heavy black curtains flanking the stage.

Jensen let go of her, barking, "Go to Alona right now! Don't leave her side!" before running to the side of the stage that Sandy had indicated. He could hear Christian swearing behind him, promising to put Chad in a barrel and feed him through the bunghole until he was thirty.

Reaching the spot Sandy had pointed to, he pulled the drapes aside and entered the backstage area. He looked around quickly, hoping to see the boys right there. The only person present was a stagehand who was seventy if he was a day, clad in a dark blue maintenance overall that read "Bill" on the stitched-in nametag. Christian went past him, looking around further in the space, then looking at Jensen and shaking his head. His face was as grim as Jensen felt--cold and afraid.

"Where are they?" Jensen looked around more carefully, seeking any clue. He found one by the wall--a plastic half-pint bottle of Fireball whiskey, mostly empty but lying in a puddle of amber, cinnamon-scented liquid. He picked it up by the neck, checking the cap was back on tight before wrapping it in a handkerchief and slipping it into his pocket. "Here's the proof they were here all right. Now, where did they go?"

Christian said, "Or where did someone take them?" He clenched his hands in the same anger and frustration that was coursing through Jensen. "Fuck! Where was I? How did I let this happen?"

Jensen couldn't speak, although the same words were on his lips. What happened, that he lost sight of his charge? How had Jared slipped away?

"They wouldn't have just left," he said instead, voicing his thought process. "They'd never do that, they're trained better. They both know what it means, how important it is. So, yeah, someone took them. We have to figure out who and why."

"Preferably before the ransom call comes in," said Christian bitterly. He paced the area in a larger sweep, eyes searching everywhere for any clue. "Jen, I see glitter over here!"

"There's glitter everywhere," responded Jensen. "Fucking stuff is like Christmas herpes--spreads everywhere and you can't get rid of it."

"Yeah, but there isn't any back _here. > Not backstage, and not on the _wall_. This could be the crap Chad had in his hair." Christian swiped his finger through it and sniffed it. "Smells like it too, some kind of flowery shit." He looked around, wandering further back. "And there's some more on this exit door."_

Jensen hastened over to check. Sure enough, glitter was sparkling from the door-jamb, high enough to be someone's head.

The two men looked at hard at each other. Christian said, "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

Jensen rubbed the back of his neck. "Depends. I'm thinking I should call Morgan back at the Service and report that Jared's missing. You?"

Christian looked around the area. "I'm thinking that there's no exit to the outside near this door. I'll bet they're still here in the hotel, and maybe we can find them before anybody's gotta call anyone." His blue eyes were glittering as they studied Jensen. "I'm thinking we find our boys first and worry about protocol after."

Without waiting for Jensen's response, Christian turned on one cowboy boot heel and strode out the door. Jensen hesitated a second-- _fuck, Morgan's gonna be so, so pissed_ \--and followed.

  


Jared stared into Benito's eyes. They were espresso-dark, and as unreadable as Benito's impassive features. He tried to match the older man stare for stare, but finally he broke, asking, "What are you going to do to me?"

Benito snorted. "Nothing, if you do what you're told, and if your people heed our instructions. If everyone plays their part properly, you will be back home in twenty-four hours."

Jared didn't have the balls to ask what if things didn't go that way. Outside of killing someone, he was going to do whatever Benito told him to do. Jared wasn't going to attempt being a hero--he was just a seventeen-year-old kid with an important father.

Besides, he knew Jensen had to be looking for him already. Jared felt actively ill about sneaking out of view, just for a stupid lark. This was exactly the reason why he'd been instructed on security protocol for years, and now he'd blown it.

_I'm such an asshole. A stupid, stupid asshole._

"Why me?" he asked. "What's the point of taking me? I'm just a kid."

"The point is, little boy, that your daddy's going to want you home safe and sound. And until that happens, he's going to listen to us. He hasn't been doing that, but he will now." Benito went into the bathroom and washed his hands. "What the hell is this fucking glitter shit? It's all over my hands."

Jared couldn't help a small laugh. "That's Chad, he had some glitter hair crap in his hair." The laugh died away as he thought about Chad, off getting dumped in the middle of the night somewhere in Arlington and having to find his way back, or find help.

Benito scoffed. "You rich kids make me sick. Too much money, no responsibility or social awareness." He stood over Jared again, arms crossed. "We're working to stop the oil drilling in the Gulf and the unspoiled wilderness, like Yellowstone. The oil companies are greedy pigs who do not care about ruining the environmental balance of the planet. This cannot continue, but your father will not hear our proposals. Now, he will."

He got up and took a soda from the mini-bar. "Here, have something to drink." He took a second soda for himself, popping the tab top and taking a long swallow before speaking again. "You will not be harmed. We are not animals. We just needed to get your father's attention and have a little...leverage. So do what you are told, and you'll be back with your mama and papa in no time."

Jensen and Christian went out the back exit where the glitter had been and found themselves in a bare, concrete hallway, brightly lit with fluorescent lights. Doors labeled "Storage" and "Electrical" proved to be locked, and there was no outside exit to be seen. "Service area," Christian muttered. "Bet that means they used the freight elevator. But to what floor?"

They entered the freight elevator and looked around. It was empty except for some quilted moving blankets stacked in one corner. Jensen squatted down and examined the numbered button panel. "Shit! Chris, look--more glitter! The stuff is better than fucking breadcrumbs! There's a trace smeared on floor eighteen--let's hit it!"

Impatiently waiting as the elevator ascended, both men were quiet but wary as they removed their guns from their shoulder holsters. When they reached the eighteenth floor, they stepped out of the elevator, looking around cautiously, guns held at the ready. This hallway was lined with guest rooms, and the burgundy carpet was thick and plush, cushioning their steps. They crept along the hallway, looking for anything amiss or out of the ordinary.

Half a dozen doors down, another hallway intersected the one they were in. Jensen gestured with his gun, signaling he would keep going forward and pointing for Christian to take the new branch. Before they separated, they heard the freight elevator's door ding. Jensen whipped his head around. Christian tapped his shoulder and mimed _who is at the elevator?_ with mouth and hands. Jensen shook his head _don't know, let's go_ , and they ran silently back down the hallway. 

The freight elevator door was still open, and two tall figures were stepping inside. One of them was an unknown man with strawberry blonde hair, and the other was skinny with spiky blond hair.

Christian surged forward and Jensen caught him, shaking his head. He held an arm across Christian's chest while they watched the door slide closed and the elevator begin to descend. Christian hissed at Jensen, "I coulda got him! What did you stop me for?" His face was dark with anger and his voice growled out the words, but it didn't sway Jensen.

"Call Alona! She can stop him as they get off! We've still got to find Jared!"

Christian rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head. "Yeah. Okay. Let's go!"

They headed back to the hallway intersection. Christian called Alona as they went, whispering to her in quick, terse words to grab back-up and meet the descending freight elevator immediately. 

Panic pooled thickly like oil in Jared's veins. Being told he was leverage did not reassure him at all about how this might end. Suddenly the panic flashed into anger--anger that they should take him like this, that he was a bargaining chip, a tool for their agenda. He grabbed the soda Benito had placed before him and flung it at the huge mirror hanging over the dresser against one wall of the room. The can exploded, spraying soda and creamy foam everywhere. The mirror itself shattered, large spikes of glass splintering and raining down on the dresser, across the floor, falling in a half-circle pattern while little pieces tinkled down onto the dresser top.

Benito jumped back, cursing in Spanish. Then he switched to English, grabbing Jared by the hair and dragging him back onto the bed as he yelled, "You son of a bitch! Spoiled American brat! Stop behaving like an asshole, and do what you are told for once!" He backhanded Jared just like he had Chad, and the force of the blow stunned Jared, making his head ring and his mouth smart. He raised a hand to the pain and found he was bleeding, a small trickle oozing from the corner of his mouth.

"Thought you weren't going to hurt me! Guess that's a lie! What else is a lie, you freakin' thug?" Half of Jared's brain screamed, _Shut up! This man can kill you!_ but the other half made him roar in fury.

Benito's next blow was a full-strength punch, a hook that landed on Jared's jaw and sent him half off the bed. "You want more, little cunt? You a big man now? You got the sac to fight me?" He grabbed Jared's arm and pulled him half upright, those coffee-dark eyes staring into Jared's. "I've watched you plenty, you and your friends, sucking up your parents' money, living the rich life like spoiled little lapdogs! Well, that ain't the way the world runs, see? So sit down and shut up until I tell you otherwise, or you'll get a lot more of Benito's obedience training!" He flung Jared down on the floor and walked away.

Jared leaned his ringing head against the mattress and cradled his arm, sore from being wrenched around. Tears prickled at his eyes, but he fought them back. _I'll be goddamned if I cry in front of him._ One errant tear didn't listen, sneaking out from underneath Jared's eyelid and slowly edging down his cheek. 

_Jensen, I'm here! I'm here! ___


	3. Chapter 3

Christian started down the new hallway, nodding to Jensen. Jensen continued on with the original hallway, moving slowly, pausing at each door. Two doors down, he heard something slam into glass hard enough that he could hear the glass breaking, a loud, almost musical noise. He texted Christian to come there, waiting anxiously for his back-up. Christian arrived a few seconds later, and staged himself on the hinge side of the doorway, gun raised. Jensen stood in front of the door, bracing himself for the impact. They looked at each other and nodded, and Jensen kicked the door in.

Benito shouted as Jensen broke the door down, pulling a gun and training it on Jensen. Jared cried out and Jensen threw up a hand to quell him. Jared immediately quieted.

"What's going on, Benito? You're supposed to be protecting these kids, not kidnapping them," Jensen resisted his impulse to tear the man apart, instead focusing on sounding calm and reasonable. He dared a quick sideways glance and saw Jared sitting on the floor on the other side of the bed, apparently intact. Jensen brought his other hand back to face Benito, palm open. "Come on, man, these are our kids. Whatever it is, we can work it out without anyone getting hurt." He edged forward, knowing Christian was still waiting hidden outside the door, giving Jensen the space to try and end things peacefully, but ready to jump in.

Benito sneered at Jensen. "These aren't _my_ kids. These are pampered, frivolous brats that I'm sick of catering to. There are important things to be done, issues to be addressed, and Jared can help that happen. I already told him that I'm not going to hurt him. Tell him, Jared!"

"Fuck you," said Jared. Jensen glanced over again and this time saw the blood trickle at his mouth. Fury almost made him blind for a second, and he turned back to Benito with a snarl.

"What the hell is that then? Looks like blood to me! What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jensen had both hands on his gun now, and he could feel the coiled energy behind him that was Christian just waiting to pounce.

"With _me,_ you self-righteous dick? Fuck _you!_ ," spat Benito, and he launched himself at Jensen.

Jared almost had a heart attack when Benito moved on Jensen. Everything happened very fast after that. Benito lunged in with both hands out to grab Jensen's neck, and Jensen almost casually brought his hands up between Benito's and knocked them outward, then smashed them together on Benito's ears. Benito roared with pain, bringing his hands to his head. Jensen promptly sunk a low punch into his belly. Benito gasped and doubled over, short of breath. Jensen brought his other hand up, striking hard into Benito's nose with the heel of his palm and driving the man backward.

Benito screamed as his nose broke, clawing at it and backpedaling. As he went back, Jensen swept his front leg and knocked Benito's legs out from under him, slamming Benito into the wall. Benito slid down onto the floor, gasping and crying, one hand clutching his nose, now bleeding freely, and the other grasping his belly as he wheezed for breath.

Jensen's shoes crunched over the broken glass as he raced to Jared's side. Jared saw Christian enter the room with his gun drawn on Benito, who was still a sniveling heap on the floor. Jensen tipped Jared's face up, examining him carefully. "Are you all right, baby?" His thumb ran down the blood line from Jared's mouth, and he looked more serious than Jared had ever seen him before.

"I'm fine," Jared answered, wondering if he should comment on the endearment. "It's nothing. Are you okay? Jesus, I never saw fighting like that except in kung fu movies!" He smiled at Jensen, giddy with love and relief. "Thank you, Jensen. Thank you!"

And then he totally embarrassed himself by bursting into tears.

*****

Jensen sat down next to Jared, half-pulling him into his lap and wrapping his arms around the young man. Jared felt so solid and yet fragile at the same time. "It's okay. Don't feel bad. You've had a traumatic experience, and this is one way that your body and mind deals with it." He kissed the top of Jared's head, breathing in the scent of Jared's clean hair and the warmth that was Jared himself. "It's okay. It's over." He closed his eyes and rocked Jared, his cheek resting against that silky brown hair, murmuring again, "It's over."

Jared's tears slowed, although his breath kept hitching still. "What about...Chad?"

Christian had handcuffed Benito's hands behind his back and put him lying face down on the floor. Now he said, "We had Alona grab Chad and Benito's henchman as they came off the freight elevator. Chad's fine, just scared, and worried about you." He nudged Benito with the toe of a cowboy boot. "Jen, we calling back-up now, or you wanna take this piece of dirt down yourself?"

"Call. Let them clean up. I want to get Jared home, and I'm sure you want to get to Chad now too." Jensen's back and ass were uncomfortable from sitting on the floor awkwardly, but he could hold Jared in his arms forever.

It was all by the book after that; the Secret Service sent a squad to bring Benito and Mark into custody. Jensen and Jared were escorted back to the White House, leaving the hotel in full view of a crowd of wide-eyed teenagers. Christian and Chad were likewise escorted back to the Murray mansion in Spring Valley. The two young men hugged each other tightly when they reunited, and Jensen knew from his own experiences that they were appreciating their friendship in a whole new light.

Jared stuck close to Jensen's side as they walked out to the town car, and then rode back to the White House. His hand crept to Jensen's and clung to it.

Jensen held onto it the whole way back.

*****

Jared took great comfort in holding Jensen's hand as they rode in the town car. He dreaded facing his parents, and deeply hoped that their relief at his well-being would override the anger at his stupidity in sneaking off. And Jensen--God, what was going to happen to Jensen? Was he going to pay for Jared's misstep?

"Are you going to be in trouble?" he whispered to the silent agent next to him. "I'm so sorry, Jensen. We were so stupid."

"Yeah, you were," Jensen said softly. "But the most important thing is that you are okay. I don't know what the fall-out will be. We'll have to wait and see. You're safe, and that's what counts for me." He fell silent again.

Jared felt like every nerve ending he possessed was in his hand right now. He could feel the calluses on Jensen's palm and fingers, the soft skin, the warmth pulsing from it. He remembered Jensen kissing his head, and calling him 'baby'. Nothing had ever felt as good as that.

Being the seventeen-year-old that he was, he couldn't resist a tease, even at a tense time like this. Maybe because of the heavy tension, and feeling the need to lighten it just a little, Jared poked Jensen.

"'Baby'?" he said, smiling at Jensen. Jared nudged Jensen in the ribs with his elbow.

"Shut up," Jensen retorted, nudging back with a little half-smile.

They were quiet for the rest of the ride, but Jared felt a little more relaxed. He was safe, and he was cared for. The rest could be dealt with.

They were yelled at as soon as they entered the Padalecki personal quarters at the White House. Jared was soundly scolded for breaking protocol and putting himself in harm's way. Jensen was glared at by President Padalecki, then Mrs. Padalecki fell on him with hugs and tears, thanking him for saving their son. The president relented and shook Jensen's hand, then pulled him into a one-armed hug while speaking words of gratitude. Jensen finally smiled and nodded as well, his icy composure loosening under the warmth of the Padaleckis. Then he left to go see his boss, JD Morgan, over at the Secret Service offices.

Jared watched him go, scared again about not knowing what was in store for him. His belly ached for Jensen, and he felt sick about it being all his fault. He tried to say something to his father, to excuse Jensen and take the blame, but Gerald Padalecki simply put his hand up and said, "Not tonight son. We're all exhausted. Let's all just get some rest."

Jared didn't think he would be able to sleep, after all the excitement and fear of the last few hours, but exhaustion and post-stress let-down knocked him down. As soon as he stretched out on his bed, pulling his quilt up and settling onto his cushy down pillow, he was out. He slept for almost twelve hours, waking with an unaccustomed soreness throughout his body. He hadn't even realized how tense he'd been the entire time he was taken, much less being manhandled by Benito, but now that he was rested and more relaxed, his muscles let him know the extent of that strain.

The next day was Sunday. Jared heard nothing from or about Jensen all day. He was not allowed to go out at all, but just stayed quietly at home. He texted Sandy to let her know he was okay, and texted Chad to check in on him, but the usually chatty Chad was unnaturally brief. Jared figured he too was on lockdown, and getting a full ration of shit from his parents and Christian. Jared didn't feel like talking to anyone else just yet--no one else would be able to understand where his head was at right now. Superficial prom stories about who danced with who and what couple broke up or got together were the last thing on his mind. He mindlessly played and surfed on his laptop, tried to read on and off, and dozed off halfway through the afternoon for a couple of hours.

On Monday morning, Jared got ready for school, feet dragging as he thought of fielding all the questions everyone would have. Breakfast was only a power bar and a glass of milk, despite his mother's concerned frown. He grabbed his letter jacket and his backpack, going to the foyer to rendezvous with Jensen for the ride in. Instead of Jensen waiting for him, Steven Williams stood there, wearing the same black suit as all the other agents. Steven was an older man, mahogany dark with a grizzled black goatee, sharp wary eyes, and a wry smile. Jared liked him--he was a no-nonsense guy with a dry sense of humor. Steven was often the back-up guard or substitute for Jensen, so Jared knew him pretty well.

"Good morning, Steven. Um...where's Jensen?"

Steven slipped a toothpick into one side of his mouth. "I can't rightly say, Jared. All I know is I got the call to escort you to and from school today."

Worry lanced through Jared, but all he could do was pick up his backpack and head out the door with Steven.

They were in the back seat of the town car, halfway to Sidwell Friends, when Steven got a text and then called up to the driver, "We're not going to Sidwell, Clif. Take us back to JD's office instead."

Jared looked at Steven with big eyes. "What--why are we going there?"

Steven gazed out the side window calmly. "I imagine they want to debrief you, Jared. They need all the information they can get in order to press charges against Martinez and Pellegrino." He looked at Jared then, and his eyes were softer. "Don't worry, boy. Your daddy will be there, and possibly Jensen too. Other than you ditching your guard, you're not the one in any trouble here."

The debriefing took most of the day, and Jared never made it back to school. His father was there at first, which reassured Jared a great deal. President Padalecki gave Jared a bear hug and a warm smile, but the president had to leave soon thereafter to do all the stuff that running the country required. Jensen wasn't there, and Jared's heart sank a little at that absence. Was Jensen fired? Did he just not want to see Jared? Jared tried to tell the many agents milling around him that it was not Jensen's fault, explain how it was Jared's fuck-up, but it didn't seem like they were listening.

Sometime shortly after twelve, there was a break for lunch, but Jared just picked at his food, even though it was meat lover's pizza with extra cheese from his favorite place. JD Morgan came in an hour after lunch was over and sat with them the rest of the afternoon, listening intently and asking his own questions. As they stood up to leave, Jared tried to ask JD about Jensen, but JD simply shook his head.

"I can't discuss that right now, Jared," he said in his deep, warm voice. He shook Jared's hand firmly and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm just glad you're safe. We'll see how this all plays out. Our first concern is tracking Martinez's group, and keeping him and Pellegrino behind bars." He walked off, leaving Jared with Steven and the rest of the agents who'd been there all day.

"Come on, let's go meet up with Clif and go home," said Steven. He clapped a hand a couple of times on Jared's back. "Everything's going to be okay, son."

The school term ended quietly; at least, quietly for Jared. He had no taste for the final parties and activities. Sandy and Chad both tried to get him to go out and attend some of the events, but Jared kept declining any invitations. Sandy asked him if he felt he was suffering from anything post-traumatically, but he shook his head. "Nothing like that...just want to stay in. Come over anytime you want, I'm up for hanging out here, but I'm staying put."

Even his parents talked to him a couple of times, trying to make sure he was okay. He reassured them he was fine; he just felt like staying home, except for going to school. They left his room unsatisfied, but unsure of what to do. How could they criticize their son for being a top student and a homebody?

What Jared didn't share with anyone was his tremendous guilt for betraying Jensen, and the fact he didn't want to go out with another agent in attendance. He was fond of Steven, he trusted Steven, but he wanted Jensen. And no one would tell him where Jensen was.

Graduation arrived on a lovely June day. Washington DC was that light, sunny flavor of summer before the July humidity arrives and drenches everything. Jared stood with his classmates on the Sidwell Friends lawn, his black gown and mortarboard decorated with the gold rope signifying high honors. He smiled with his friends, genuinely happy for them and for himself. He hugged them all, hugged his parents, hell, he even hugged Steven, who looked like he'd eaten a sour pickle.

As he turned from hugging Sandy to hug Katie, he saw Jensen.

Jensen, standing by himself a little ways back from the crowd, in a light gray suit and pale blue tie. He had silver-rimmed aviators on, and his hair was just long enough to let the breeze ruffle it. Jensen looked completely unlike his Secret Service persona, and he was utterly gorgeous.

When Jared's eyes fell on Jensen, he couldn't breathe for a moment at how beautiful the man was. Then the ache from the months of separation flooded Jared, galvanized him into movement, and he was running, long legs carrying him as fast as he could towards Jensen.

Jensen reached out and caught him, bringing him in close and holding him fast. Jensen buried his nose in Jared's hair, his neck, sniffing deeply, and Jared realized that Jensen was just breathing him in, as if he had to get as much of Jared as he could. It stunned Jared a little that this competent, experienced, enormously savvy and intelligent man apparently wanted Jared as much as Jared wanted him.

Jared wrapped his arms around Jensen tightly, his own breathing halfway to a sob, his heart ready to burst. "Jensen," he whispered. "Jensen, where have you been? God, I've missed you so much." He pulled back, anxious eyes roving over Jensen's familiar face. "Are you okay? I asked and asked and no one, no one would tell me!" Now the tears started trickling, and Jared impatiently wiped them away with the back of his hand.

Jensen shushed him, running a hand over Jared's tousled hair. "I'm fine. I'm okay. And, damn, Jared, I missed you too." Jared could see how brilliantly Jensen's green eyes shone, and knew he was on the same brink of tears as Jared was.

"Can we talk? Can you come see me now? Are you coming back as my guard?" Jared felt the questions of the last weeks pouring out of him.

Jensen shook his head. "Not right now, Jared. This time is for you to spend with your parents and your friends. Go have some fun. Go to a party. Steven will keep you safe. In a few days, when this all finishes dying down, we'll talk, okay? I think we have a lot to talk about."

Jared's chin quivered despite his efforts to be strong. "Jensen...I miss you, I want--"

"Sh, sh, sh," murmured Jensen, running a thumb over Jared's bottom lip. "Don't worry, baby, we're gonna make it all work out. Trust me." He leaned over and Jared thought for one glorious moment that Jensen was going to kiss him right on the mouth. Instead, Jensen kissed his forehead, a soft press of the lips against Jared's skin. The warmth of his mouth spread across Jared, though, and he felt calmer as Jensen straightened up.

"Okay," Jared said. "Okay. I'll wait.

Waiting sucked. Jared waited through a graduation party (Chad's - pretty fun, he had to admit, even though Christian was totally acting like Chad's shadow); a state dinner (Uruguay's ruler and spouse were visiting--not as fun as Chad's party); endless games of Minecraft and Guild Wars; and a round of his parents trying to elicit what his next plans were, which he couldn't really answer because he was waiting. By the end of the eighth day, he was ready to hop out of the bathroom window and shimmy down the wall into the Rose Garden to make his escape.

That's when Steven tapped on his bedroom door and told him he was wanted in the living room.

Jared entered the living room--refreshingly casual and warmly personal, compared to the formal rooms outside the personal quarters--to find his father, mother, and...Jensen. This time, Jensen was in a pale green oxford and black jeans, and Jared wanted to climb him like a tree. He managed to control his reaction in front of his parents, although he did spy a twinkle in Steven's eye.

"Jared--" his father began, but Jensen interrupted him, albeit very politely.

_Damn, he just interrupted the president!_ Jared couldn't help thinking. Jensen winked at him, and he knew his former agent knew what had just gone through his mind.

"Mr. President, if I may..." Jensen said smoothly, nodding to him.

_What is that_ twang, _and where the hell did it come from?_ thought Jared.

"I greatly appreciate your forbearance about the incident at Jared's prom. I apologize again for allowing him to slip away as he did." A stern look was directed at Jared, and Jared looked down at his feet, abashed. "I know Mr. Williams has, and will continue to do, a fantastic job as Jared's new primary guard."

Jared looked up again, shocked. What new primary guard? Another stern look from Jensen quelled the questions on his lips.

Gerald Padalecki said, in that firm, rich voice that made his speeches famous, "Thank you, Jensen. We appreciate your service in protecting Jared, and understand that, without your fast action, things could have ended far more disastrously than they did." Casting a stern look at Jared, he said, "Jared brought much of this on himself, and I know he's learned a serious lesson from it." He and Jensen shook hands. "I wish you well in your future endeavors. Please don't hesitate to let me know if I can ever do anything for you."

 

Jared was ready to scream. What future endeavors? Where was Jensen going? He clenched his hands to help maintain his self-control until someone cleared this whole thing up. In the meantime, he was going out of his mind.

"Thank you, sir." Suddenly Jensen looked...abashed. _Who is this guy?_ Jared thought again, astonished at Jensen's evident shyness and embarrassment. He looked...vulnerable.

"Sir, could I...would it be alright to speak to Jared alone, for a moment?" Jensen asked.

Gerald looked at Jared's mother, Sherri, and she looked back at him with love so evident on her face that Jared wanted to blush. He'd never really thought about his parents like _that._ They both turned back to Jensen, and Sherri spoke. "Of course, Jensen. Take all the time you need. I'm sure Steven can wait outside." She left, followed by Gerald and Steven, and leaving Jensen and Jared alone.

"Finally!" blurted out Jared, racing over to Jensen and throwing his arms around him. "Jensen, what is going on? Where are you going? Why are you leaving me?" His next question was cut off by Jensen's lips descending on his, not only stopping his words but just about stopping his breathing.

Jared didn't care--Jensen's lips were warm and soft, moving against his own in ways that made his knees weak. Then Jensen's hot, wet tongue was pressing against Jared's mouth, and Jared opened to it, let it enter, and hot damn, not only were his knees weak, his pants were tight. Jared had been kissed before, but never like this, never by a _man,_ a man who seriously knew what he was doing. A man who was currently reducing Jared to a mess of hormones and arousal, his dick swelling in his pants and his chest tight with lust.

He clutched at Jensen, desperately trying to give as good as he was getting, pressing his body against Jensen's solid, muscular one and trying to keep from blatantly rubbing his erection against Jensen's groin. He was so lost in his own sexual haze that he was stunned when Jensen gripped his biceps firmly and basically ripped Jared away from his body. The loss of Jensen's body heat from him made Jared's head swim for a moment.

"What...but..." he stammered, his lips feeling moist and puffy from the kissing. "Why..."

"Jared," said Jensen with gritted teeth. " _Christ,_ you are so amazing, so hot...it's taking everything I have to keep from tearing your clothes off and fucking you right here in the presidential living room." He put Jared's hand on his crotch, bucking his hips into Jared's palm, and Jared thrilled to feel how Jensen's cock was every bit as rigid as his own. It jerked under the pressure of Jared's hand, and he could feel pre-come start to leak hotly inside his boxers.

"But I'm not going to bend you over that sturdy couch and fuck you silly, because I have too much respect for your parents, and for you, Jared. So we're going to wait for that special moment to be at a better time, okay?" Jensen kissed him tenderly. "Let's sit over here and cool off. We need to talk."

They moved over to a comfortable couch that faced the family herb garden, sitting down side-by-side. Jensen took one of Jared's hands in both of his.

"Jared, let me just talk for a minute first, okay? I just want to get it all out, and then we can discuss things."

Jared nodded, biting his lip in suspense. He noted how Jensen's eyes followed that motion, and smiled inside at Jensen's obvious attraction.

"I've resigned from the Secret Service--it was effective immediately, following your abduction." Jared gasped, opening his mouth open to protest, but Jensen laid a finger across his lips. "It's okay--it's not because of the kidnapping. I've been cleared of any wrong-doing. It's because..." He took a deep breath. "It's because when you were abducted, I faced how I felt about you. How I feel about you. I resisted it as long as I've been with you, but I can't do it anymore. When you were taken, I wanted--I wanted to rip Benito apart." His eyes darkened and Jared saw the anger on his face. "Jared, if anything had happened to you..."

"But it didn't. You rescued me," Jared said softly, and put his hand on Jensen's cheek. Jensen turned his face, taking Jared's hand and kissing his palm.

"I realized then that I can't guard you effectively. My concentration is always going to be compromised because of my feelings. So...I've resigned."

Jared felt tears fill his eyes. "But what...what are you going to do? What about...I thought you wanted to be with me?"

"Oh, baby, of course I do. That's the other reason I resigned. If I'm your security detail, I can't date you, can't be with you. As plain old Jensen Ackles, I can." He drew Jared closer. "If it's alright with you, I want to see you. Date you. Build something with you. If you don't mind the age difference--"

"I never minded the age difference!" Jared burst out. His heart was pounding. Could this really be happening? Was Jensen...?

Jensen grinned, relief mixing with happiness on his face. "Okay, then! All that is left is for you to choose which of the five schools that accepted you, you want to attend. And wherever it is, I'll go there with you. I thought I'd start my own security business, and I can do that anywhere in the country." He kissed Jared. "Anywhere that you are is okay with me."

Jared felt like he would burst with joy. "You want to be with me? You'll move somewhere with me?" He threw his arms around Jensen and hugged him tight, then rained kisses on his face. Jensen started laughing, trying to duck Jared's lips, only to grab Jared and kiss him _hard._ They kissed for several minutes, long enough for Jared's jeans to feel very uncomfortable again, until there was a discreet tap on the door. 

They parted, breathing heavily, Jared reaching a hand up to blot his mouth. Jensen cleared his throat, pressed a hand to his groin for a second, and then said, "Come in."

Steven and Sherri came back into the room, Steven moving to stand behind Jared and Sherri to stand in front of Jared and Jensen.

"Well?" she asked, eyes twinkling. "I think I know the answer here, but...Jared?"

"Yes!" Jared cried. "I choose Stanford, and Jensen will move to California with me!" He jumped up and hugged his mother. "Oh, Mom, I'm going to miss you and Dad, but...." And a fresh smile spread across his face.

"I understand, dear. Jensen came to us after...after the incident, and we asked that he wait until you graduated. He told us his plan, and I think it's terrific." She turned to Jensen, her smile warm, eyes happy. "You'll do tremendously well, my dear, I know you'll be very successful. And we'll be happy knowing that Jared not only has an extra, unofficial guard, he'll have a special guardian watching over him."

"The best guardian I could have, Mom," Jared said, smiling ecstatically as Jensen hugged him. "He's the guardian of my heart!"


End file.
